Eligibility for admission

To confirm eligibility for admission to undergraduate certificate study, applicants must consult the Admissions Office or the Faculty concerned.

Undergraduate Diploma Study

The minimum requirement for admission to undergraduate diploma study is a National Senior Certificate (NSC) as certified by Umalusi with an achievement rating of 3 (Moderate Achievement, 40-49%) or better in four recognised NSC 20-credit subjects.

Bachelor's Degree Study

To be eligible for admission to degree study, applicants need to meet minimum requirements for eligibility:

Applicants holding a South African National Senior Certificate need to pass a minimum of four subjects at a rating of 4 (Adequate Achievement, 50-59%) or better from a designated list of subjects. The designated list is as follows:

Accounting

Agricultural Sciences

Business Studies

Dramatic Arts

Economics

Engineering Graphics and Design

Geography

History

Consumer Studies

Information Technology

Languages (one language of learning and teaching at a higher education institution and two other recognised language subjects)

South African Senior Certificate undergraduate applicants to UCT must have achieved a pass of 40% or more on the Higher Grade in English (First or Second Language) at Senior Certificate level.

UCT language policy in respect of South African National Senior Certificate undergraduate applicants.

South African National Senior Certificate undergraduate applicants to UCT, must have achieved a rating of 2 (Elementary Achievement, 30-40%) or better at Home Language or First Additional Language level.

A pass in English language at A-level, As-level, IGCSE, GCSE or O-level, International Baccalaureate or a level equivalent to any of those listed here.

A score of at least 570 (for the paper-based test) or at least 230 (for the computer-based test) in the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL). The score must be obtained no more than five years prior to application.

A recent overall band score of 7.0 on the International English Language Testing System (IELTS), with no individual element of the test scoring below 6.0.

The percentages achieved in National Senior Certificate examinations (preliminary and final examinations) will be allocated an admission score equal to that percentage.

The sum of six subjects, excluding Life Orientation, but including English and any required subject(s) for the relevant programme, is considered when deciding on admission. (For example, for a given programme where Maths and Physical Sciences are required, we will take scores for English, Maths, Physical Sciences and the next best three subjects other than Life Orientation to compute the NSC score towards the APS.)